A Family Divided: A Fosters Fanfiction
by MelissasnavE
Summary: Callie and Jude have just found out that their adoption didn't go through because their biological father is trying to get custody of them. With this happening, Callie and Jude aren't sure what they want anymore and are very confused as to what this means for them in The Fosters household.
1. Let Her Go

Chapter 1: Let Her Go

Today was the day, today was supposed to be the day. Today Jude and I were supposed to get adopted and today we were supposed to get a family. But my dad had to go and ruin that just like he had ruined everything else in our life. "He's trying to obtain custody of you and Jude." my mind flashed back to Lena saying those words to me and I got angry all over again. Why? Why did it have to be so complicated. "We are going to do everything we can to make sure that doesn't happen." Stef added. This was my fault. If I hadn't gone and talked to him none of this would have happened, he never would have found out, and everything would have been okay.

Back at the house they had planned a surprise party for Jude and I, I didn't deserve a party, I always ruin everything for Jude. He hasn't said a word since Stef and Lena told us, he has hardly looked up from the floor. When we got home Jude ran upstairs and I followed. He was upset and it was my fault. I sat beside him on his bed and looked into my brothers eyes, I love him so much, I don't want him to be sad, and I don't want it to be my fault, but he is, and it was.

"You okay buddy?" I asked. "What's going to happen Callie?" He asked me, he sounded broken, like his world was falling apart. "I don't know, Jude. I wish I could tell you that everything was going to be okay and that Stef and Lena will adopt us and nothing will go wrong. But I have no clue what's going to happen, But one thing I do know is that no matter what happens we will always have each other, so I need you to promise me that no matter what happens you won't shut me out, okay, promise?" I plastered a smile on my face and pretended to be strong for my brother because he needed me to be, I can't be weak, and I can't break, he needs me to be strong. "I promise." Jude responded, and I felt relief as I hugged my little brother tightly and kissed the top of his head. "Now come on, there's a party downstairs and I heard there's cake." I laughed and wrapped my arm around my brothers shoulder as we headed downstairs to be with our family.

Jude headed toward Connor and I watched my brother laugh and smile, and that made me happy. "Is he okay?" Stef startled me with her question. "Yeah, he's fine we talked and he's fine." I said. "And what about you, are you okay?" I still get thrown off guard whenever someone asks me that question, I was still getting used to the fact that Stef loved me enough to make sure that I was okay. "Yeah, I'm fine." I lied. For what seemed like hours I stood and I watched, I watched Jesus flirt with Emma, I watched Lexi and Mariana dance, I watched Jude and Connor eat cake, and I watched Stef and Lena smile at each other. All it took was a shared smile and you could tell how much they truly loved each other. They were the two most amazing people in the entire world and I loved them endlessly, and I might lose them. I may never get to see them smile at each other like that again. Suddenly the air in the room became thin and it got really hot, I couldn't be there anymore, in that room, with everyone I love, with my family.

I went out front where it was quiet, where I could think, I felt hot tears running down my face, and I realized that I was breaking, I couldn't hold it in anymore, then the front door opened. I didn't look to see who it was, I already knew. He has a way of knowing when I'm not okay, it's almost like a sixth sense. Things have been awkward between us to say the least but he didn't care he was there for me, he's always there for me. "Are you okay?" He already knew the answer but he asked anyways. "No, I'm not. What if my dad gets custody, what if they just give him custody of us like nothing ever happened, what would happen then?" I broke out in tears, Brandon was the only person in the world with whom I could be completely vulnerable and not feel weak. "That's not going to happen, Callie. No matter how hard your father fights our moms will always fight harder, they won't let him win. He doesn't deserve you, either of you, you are both amazing and he does not deserve you." He said it and I believed him, he had no way of telling the future and he had no idea what was going to happen but it didn't matter because I believed him.

"You said our moms." I tried to change the subject. "Of course I did, you are a part of this family no matter what happens, we are your family, all of us." I don't know why that surprised me, he had said it a million times before, it was just different this time. "Thank you." That was all that needed to be said. He turned and headed for the door. "Wait…" I said catching myself a little off guard. "Yeah?" Brandon asked turning back around to face me. "Can I talk to you for a second?" I asked timidly. "Of course." he responded.

I sat on the first stair and he sat beside me... silent, typically silence scares me but not when he was there, when he was there it was as if the silence connected us in a way that nothing else could. I looked over at him, possibly the most beautiful human being in existence, and I love him, I love him in a different way than I love, Jude, Jesus, Mariana, Lena, or Stef. They are all my family, and I love them all but not like I love Brandon. I know that I may have to go the whole rest of my life pretending to love him like I love the others so I had something to say, I had to get it out before it was too late.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you…" "Callie we don't have to" He cut me off. "No, Brandon, I need to say this." I took a deep breath and I prepared to let it all out. "I'm sorry if I hurt you, that was never my intention, and I want you to know that you were wrong, everything you said to that cop before you got arrested, you were wrong. I do feel the same way I always have, since day one, I didn't expect to fall in love with you and I wish that there was a way for us to be together and for me to have a family, but there's not, at least not right now. But I want you to know that if this situation ever changes I want to be with you, you are my anchor, I need you in my life. I'm not sure if you will be my brother, or my best friend, or my boyfriend, but I know that I need you. I will always need you, and I don't want that to change."

I looked at him for the first time since I started talking and I saw his eyes, his beautiful eyes filled with tears and it broke my heart. I hated seeing him sad, it is the worst feeling in the world when the person you love most in the world is hurting. Because, you feel it too, and the fact that I had caused that made the pain one-thousand times stronger. I placed my hand on his and looked deep into his eyes. "I love you, and I'm scared that I'm going to lose you." I don't get scared easily but the thought of losing Brandon made my stomach flip upside down, it was the most terrifying feeling in the world. That's when he did it, when he looked at me as if I was the most beautiful and delicate thing in the world, he wiped the tears from my face, and looked into my eyes. "I don't know where life will take us, I don't know if we will end up on opposite sides of the world, but we will always have our memories, that's the one thing that nobody can take from us, I love you, and I will never stop loving you. But sometimes, before we can love, we have to let go." And he did.


	2. Defining Family

Relief. That is the first thing I felt, but after I realized what had just happened I realized that it wasn't relief, it was a new emptiness in my heart. It was a hole, a new hole that had formed the second Brandon Foster walked away from me. He had let me go. Why did I feel sad, why did it hurt? I asked for this, this is what I wanted, so why did it feel so wrong? Sometimes what's right isn't easy. My own words echoed through my mind, this definitely wasn't easy, but was it the right thing to do, did I make the right choice by choosing a family? Yes. As soon as I asked myself that question I realized how stupid it was to ask. Of course choosing a family was the right choice, it was a hard choice, but it was the right choice. I closed my eyes and flashed back to a conversation that had taken place between Brandon and I a few days earlier.

"Why did you move out?" I asked him the question that had been running around the back of my mind for weeks. "I told you, I needed some time to figure things out." He gave me the same response he had given me when he had first told me he was living with his dad, he also told me that it had nothing to do with me, I knew that was a lie. "The real reason." I asked as I shot him an I know when you're lying look. He sighed as he was deciding whether or not to tell me the truth "After we broke up, I knew it was going to be hard for me to be around you. You chose a family and I knew that if I was around you every day I might do something stupid to jeopardize that, I don't want to be the person that gets in the way of your happiness."

"Hey." That word broke me out of my trance, I looked up to see who it was. Wyatt. "Hey." I returned with my usual half smile. "What are you doing out here all alone, when there's a party going on inside?" He asked me. Typical Wyatt. I could tell he was trying to make me feel better and it wasn't working, but at the same time I didn't want to have to explain to him why I was upset, so I plastered on a smile, and said "Thanks for coming." "Well you know I would never miss an opportunity to come and party with your family, I mean it's basically a 24/7 rager around here." There it was, that classic sarcasm I wasn't sure whether I missed or not. I chuckled as I opened the front door and we entered the house, Wyatt and I walked to the backyard where everyone was, when Stef and Lena noticed Wyatt and came over to greet us. "Hey Wyatt, it's always nice to see you." Lena said with a smile. "Yeah, how long have you been in town for?" Stef asked him politely. "A few weeks, I got a job catering parties so my mom and I could move back here." Wyatt replied as Jude handed him a glass of lemonade. "Thanks, man." And Jude smiled at him in return. "Well, I wish we would have known you were in town, we would have invited you over for dinner." Lena was always inviting people over for dinner, it's kind of her thing.

I was wondering who invited Wyatt to the party when Brandon approached us. "Hey, Wyatt. Thanks for coming." Brandon said as he gave Wyatt one of those half hugs that guys do. "Thanks for inviting me." Wyatt responded. "It was no problem." Brandon said sounding a little too pleased to see him. When in the world did these two become friends? The last time they saw each other at the dance they completely avoided each other. I wonder what changed. Wyatt noticed some bacon wrapped sausages on the buffet table and headed their direction leaving Brandon and I alone. "You're the one who invited Wyatt?" I asked sounding completely shocked at the suggestion. "Yeah, moms told us to invite all of your friends." Brandon said brushing it off as if it was no big deal. "I thought you hated him?" I had no idea what was going on. "No, We got to talking at school and he's actually a pretty cool guy." That statement caught me off guard seeing as Wyatt and Brandon have nothing in common and are polar opposites. I was about to ask him If he ever thought we would be together when a piercing sound cut through the air and made everyone cover their ears and cringe like it was nails on a chalkboard. I felt relieved I hadn't gotten the chance to ask Brandon, it was stupid of me to bring it up, especially in front of all these people.

I redirected my attention to the stage where the band had been playing to see where the piercing noise had come from. Stef and Lena were standing on the stage, and I quickly realized that the noise had come from the microphone that Stef was holding in her hand. "Oh, sorry about that." Stef said as she chuckled and handed the microphone to Lena. "As most of you know, this party was supposed to celebrate Callie & Jude's adoption into our family, however there were some problems with the paperwork and the adoption couldn't go through." Problems with the paperwork please, it was my criminal of a father trying to steal Jude and I away from our family. "So we have decided to make this party not about the adoption, but to celebrate the fact that all of us got to experience the joy that Jude & Callie have brought into our lives. We are so lucky to have you in our lives, at first we had no idea what to expect bringing Callie into our home. But over time we learned that she was the most amazing girl, with the biggest heart and despite all that she has been through she is strong, she is smart, and we couldn't ask for a better daughter." I pretty much lost it when they called me their daughter, I had the biggest smile on my face and I was reminded once again just how lucky I was to have these people as my family. Stef now had the microphone and began to speak "And Jude, my sweet, sweet Jude. You are by far the most handsome, kind, caring, loyal boy I know. There is not one thing I don't love about you, I admire everything about you, I was so scared when you both came to live with us, but because of you I have learned so much about life, about love, about friendship, you two are the best thing that could have happened to us. I thank God every day that Lena brought you two into our home, I can't imagine our life without you two, you are our children, and we love you." Stef's voice started to crack as she started to cry. I ran up to the stage grabbing Jude on the way up, they gave us a mommy sandwich and Jude and I told them that we loved them. Jude and I stood in between Stef and Lena as they handed us glasses of sparkling apple cider, they along with everyone at the party raised their glasses as Stef said "To Callie and Jude."

In this moment I was happy, I forgot about my dad, and about the adoption not going through, I realized that these people are my family, no matter what happens, they are my family, and I don't need a piece of paper signed by a judge to say that they are. Family is in the heart, not in the blood, and it's not determined by the court. Family is love, family is trust, family is an unbreakable bond, and as I looked around the room I saw my family.


End file.
